[iFi audio]

A proper high end headphones system will always be a great addition to have

Here I agree, headphones aren't worse that speakers and vice versa. There's place for each.

Speakers always have 2 elements that can’t get from headphones, the staging and the dynamic prowess that you can feel. There is no denying it

Again, this depends on speakers. Some are incredible in how they stage and how unbelievably agile they can be. But the primary appeal of headphones is their access to that at a far lower cost.

 

[Whitigir]

Headphones are actually very expensive to go high end. Some amplifier is already approaching 6-7K and new flagships are 4-5k.

Speakers with that much budget would be something else remarkable.

I don’t think headphones can ever get that chest thumping dynamic feeling and the vast sound staging from a speaker setup that is at the same price

It could be either headphones are selling more as they are smaller and easier to bring around, together with the fact that they are overpriced, or speakers is cheaper to have.

Then if we talk about 200K speaker systems, I would say that the AC outlet and circuit breakers with room acoustic treatment would cost somewhere close to that. The best is to start designing your own acoustic room from scratch. I have seen some review of Utopia set and pictures of them sitting in odds corners that make me cringe my teeth

 

[iFi audio]

Headphones are actually very expensive to go high end. Some amplifier is already approaching 6-7K and new flagships are 4-5k.

It's true, top headphones can get costly, but their price and all else they require is still nowhere near top stereo sets that sell for $1'000'000 and more.

 

[Whitigir]

It's true, top headphones can get costly, but their price and all else they require is still nowhere near top stereo sets that sell for $1'000'000 and more.

Yeah, soon even Orpheous II would become cheap LOL!!!

Speakers can get up to those ultra premium range for many factors, but then again, I would never see myself glancing that way LOL! All I know for the fact is that the more expensive your speakers are, the more important your room acoustic are. I always cringe my teeth seeing expensive speakers sitting in some odd corners just as a statement piece for displaying purposes

 

[The Jester]

Even what could be called “entry level” speakers will benefit from careful positioning, and every room is different, rules like 1/3rd and 2/5th are a reasonable starting point but after that it’s worth some experimenting, there’s a very intricate and detailed procedure used by US Sonus Faber dealers to optimise speaker positioning totally by ear, and oh how it works, simply put it works on optimising one speaker position and it’s coupling with the room, then moving the other to balance soundstage and stereo imaging and then finally toe in and rake angles, and sometimes the speakers end up different distances from the rear and side walls by as little as an inch or two, uneven toe in angles can sound better depending on the acoustics of the left and right side and rear walls, using a laser level to accurately set rake angle between the two makes more difference than you’d ever imagine, and all speakers can benefit ….

 

[CJG888]

Those old multi-panel Magneplanars (Tympani IV, IIRC) we’re fantastic at producing clean, deep overhang-free bass. But they were the size of a (large) room divider, and needed a LOT of amplification…

I still think panels are the way to go here, but there is no substitute for surface area. I vaguely remember reading about an experimental Naim electrostatic with incredible bass performance. Alas, it never made production.

 

[The Jester]

Soundstage is one thing that could be greatly improved on headphones if at the final mastering stage two versions were produced, one optimised on good headphones and the other on traditional studio monitors, could be done, back in the early days of stereo there were side by side mono and stereo album releases, but in the end it all comes down to the $$, if you can, try and listen to the Stax dummy head recordings via good headphones, they can be stunningly real, someone suddenly whispering in your ear from behind and over your shoulder…. All done on 16/44 standard CD audio, or a few Dolby Digital and DTS recordings optimised for 5.1 and above home theatre systems, not some of the overdone “demo’s” with drum kits moving around behind you etc, but an attempt to replicate a live venue by accurate phase and delay from multiple speakers, but as usual they’re very limited an expensive for mainstream audio …

 

[The Jester]

Those old multi-panel Magneplanars (Tympani IV, IIRC) we’re fantastic at producing clean, deep overhang-free bass. But they were the size of a (large) room divider, and needed a LOT of amplification…

I still think panels are the way to go here, but there is no substitute for surface area. I vaguely remember reading about an experimental Naim electrostatic with incredible bass performance. Alas, it never made production.

One of the best speakers I ever heard for dynamics from a mid sized floor stander were the old KEF R104.2 … had a pair for nearly 10 years and still haven’t heard anything of similar size that could reproduce a live drum kit, not the lowest of bass ends but at realistic volume levels a hard drum hit would literally smack you in the chest, music really came alive, sad that they had other minor shortcomings, if I’d had the space and rooms to spare I’d still have them for that reason alone …

 

[hakunamakaka]

This Agnes Obel compilation is simply stunning! One of my favorites too. When I play this When Nora Dean is on in the workshop my partner looks at me weary and says 'no comment '. Real hard to find selections on it. I did find Sibyle Baier and, on vinyl 'Nancy & Lee' (Hazelwood). So far. The Greek singeres Leni Platonos is sooo great. And Michele Gurevitch.

Of course Mezzanine is an all time classic (more of my partners/colleagues taste). And if you like well recorded Yello is always super. Swiss precision.

And Vangelis... What can I say, I've been a fan of him forever (already in Aphrodites Child). And Jon and Vangelis. That's how I got the virus.

You guys know how to tick my boxes.

For finding loose panels in the house I recommend Ryuichi Sakamoto and/or/with Alva Noto. Makes my windows rattle. My Genesis VI speakers reach down to 20Hz.

Music selection is one big advantage of vinyls, there is no way that spotify could offer me something that I find in LP's. Me too, I love this type of music, but it is not easy to find.

When I heard Yello as an intro track it literally glued to my couch....how come these sounds fly around in my room and theme itself just made a perfect match for whole LP release. Something clicks for me with such oddly strange music, if you guys know anything more, please share I would be more than happy to dig and give it a listen.

I've came across few interesting tracks today too

"Eden Ahbez - Full Moon", "Jim Nollman - Froggy went a courting"...

If you like Nora Dean ay ay ay, you can try to give it a go to. "Seltsame Ranken - Aloa" and especially "Ezra ‎– Garten Meiner Fantasie" it has similar trippy psychedelic feel to it.


For instrumental I do like Yussef Dayes, especially tracks "Love is the message" and "For my Ladies". For Jazz I enjoy something not too complex, but fun to listen "Mezare Israel - Jazz Workshop" is a perfect example

 

[FYFL]

That's the advantage of speakers right there. The way how 15 or 18" woofers behave is quite frankly impossible to mimic and, as you've pointed out, this feels way different versus headphones. On the upside, headphones remove room and all associated problems and that's a very big plus.

That’s why having both is an enormous luxury for purpose of music evaluation and enjoyment.
Size matters.

 

[FYFL]

Well, when you add in a stand alone sub woofer, then it is another matter. However, having both systems. I can tell you that I rather enjoy headphones more as I get details and cohesiveness that I don’t normally get out of the speakers. A proper high end headphones system will always be a great addition to have

Speakers always have 2 elements that one can’t get from headphones, the staging and the dynamic prowess that you can feel. There is no denying it

Yes. Just a sheer scale of presentation triggers our memories of a real musical event that was once experienced. Headphones are great but task they’re presented with is quite challenging if just not realistic.

 

[FYFL]

Room acoustics are often overlooked or ignored entirely.
It’s kind of triggering to see 150K MBL with window wall behind it, marble floors and and another 150K in front end equipment.

As to headphones price being more accessible. Well, yes and no.
Cheaper hp can suffice but if you want quality sound, we are talking about couple K starting point. And it goes up from there. I’ve seen 10K headphone rigs and another several expensive HPs collecting dust. I’m pretty sure that I could build kick a$$ speaker system for equal amount.

And finally, my personal gauge for good system is this…
If you can immerse yourself self in waves of music while listening to your system (whatever it might be), you have reached musical nirvana and farther pursuit of “excellence” is just a waste of time and money.
I think audiophiles are mostly addicted to gear hunting and setting themselves for failure by goals that are unrealistic.
Best mastering studios might have a need to upgrade their digital front end, boards, pc or converters but speakers are the most constant thing of their work flow.
And if we talk about LP mastering, which is done in analog domain for the most part, changes are quite minimalistic. Sure, every decade or so upgrades or changes are required but that’s mostly driven by market and digital chain moving rapidly forward.
If they had our mentality, they wouldn’t be able to pay their electric bill. Lol

 

[]eep]

I just received the Lpaudio Ruby II cartridge. FedEx managed to make it a stressful experience again. I was waiting for the turntable but the cartridge went ahead. At least this one is in.

You can't argue with the packaging. You can with the spelling though.

 

[CJG888]

The proof of the pudding is in the eating…

 

[]eep]

I know, but the main course is still in transit so no time for puddin' yet.

Looks gorgeous though. And the packaging is the same distinct perspex a-shape as the Jasmine cartridges that got really good reviews a few years back and have rizen considerably in price. This is more the old price. Even though I dig the porcelain I like rosewood better. And I even like their logo on front.

I think I am somewhat of a forerunner ordering such an expensive Chinese cartridge out of the blue. Even before https://destiny-audio.com/collections/lpaudio this page. Herr Langer is a very decent guy and really thorough. And pleasant to talk to. These are for the European market (incl VAT/MwSt) really decently priced.